On the 9th of October the bark canoe was entirely finished. —
10月9日，树皮独木舟已经完全完成。 —

Pencroft had kept his promise, and a light boat, the shell of which was joined together by the flexible twigs of the crejimba, had been constructed in five days. —
彭克罗夫信守了承诺，用灵活的crejimba树枝将船体拼接在一起，5天内建造完成了一艘轻船。 —

A seat in the stern, a second seat in the middle to preserve the equilibrium, a third seat in the bows, rowlocks for the two oars, a scull to steer with, completed the little craft, which was twelve feet long, and did not weigh more than two hundred pounds. —
船尾有一个座位，中间有第二个座位以保持平衡，船头有第三个座位，划桨用的划槽，用于掌舵的舵，完成了这艘小船，长12英尺，重量不超过200磅。 —

The operation of launching it was extremely simple. —
将它推入水中的操作非常简单。 —

The canoe was carried to the beach and laid on the sand before Granite House, and the rising tide floated it. —
独木舟被搬到海滩上，在花岗岩屋前放在沙滩上，涨潮时漂浮了起来。 —

Pencroft, who leaped in directly, maneuvered it with the scull and declared it to be just the thing for the purpose to which they wished to put it.
彭克罗夫直接跳进去，用舵操纵着它，并宣布它正好适合他们想用它的目的。

“Hurrah!” cried the sailor, who did not disdain to celebrate thus his own triumph. —
“万岁!“水手喊道，毫不怠慢地庆祝自己的胜利。 —

“With this we could go round–”
“有了这个我们可以绕–”

“The world?” asked Gideon Spilett.
“世界吗?“吉迪恩·斯派莱特问道。

“No, the island. Some stones for ballast, a mast and a sail, which the captain will make for us some day, and we shall go splendidly! —
“不，是整个岛。一些石头作为压舱物，一根桅杆和一张帆，船长以后会为我们制作，我们就会风驰电掣了! —

Well, captain–and you, Mr. Spilett; and you, Herbert; —
好了，船长–还有你，斯派莱特先生；还有你，赫伯特；还有你，尼布–你们不来试试我们的新船吗？跟上吧！ —

and you, Neb–aren’t you coming to try our new vessel? Come along! —
我们必须看看它是否能装下我们五个人！” —

we must see if it will carry all five of us!”
这无疑是一项必须进行的试验。

This was certainly a trial which ought to be made. —
彭克罗夫很快将独木舟通过岩石之间的狭窄通道带到岸边，并商定当天试验这艘船，沿着岸边前往南部岩石结束的第一个点。 —

Pencroft soon brought the canoe to the shore by a narrow passage among the rocks, and it was agreed that they should make a trial of the boat that day by following the shore as far as the first point at which the rocks of the south ended.
15.这个独木舟可以容纳我们五个人吗？

As they embarked, Neb cried,–
当他们出发时，尼布喊道，–

“But your boat leaks rather, Pencroft.”
“但是你的船漏水了，潘克洛夫。”

“That’s nothing, Neb,” replied the sailor; “the wood will get seasoned. —
“没关系，尼布，”水手回答道，“木头会逐渐变得干燥。” —

In two days there won’t be a single leak, and our boat will have no more water in her than there is in the stomach of a drunkard. Jump in!”
“两天后就不会有任何漏水了，我们的船里将不会有比醉汉的肚子里的水还多。上船吧！”

They were soon all seated, and Pencroft shoved off. —
他们很快都坐下了，潘克洛夫推了开。 —

The weather was magnificent, the sea as calm as if its waters were contained within the narrow limits of a lake. —
天气很好，海面平静得就像它的水被限制在一个小湖泊里一样。 —

Thus the boat could proceed with as much security as if it was ascending the tranquil current of the Mercy.
因此，这艘小船可以像在梅尔西安静的河道上行驶一样安全。

Neb took one of the oars, Herbert the other, and Pencroft remained in the stern in order to use the scull.
尼布划了一根桨，赫伯特划了另一根，潘克洛夫留在船尾使用舵。

The sailor first crossed the channel, and steered close to the southern point of the islet. —
水手首先穿过水道，靠近岛屿的南端。 —

A light breeze blew from the south. No roughness was found either in the channel or the green sea. —
轻微的南风吹动。在水道或绿色的海面上都找不到粗糙之处。 —

A long swell, which the canoe scarcely felt, as it was heavily laden, rolled regularly over the surface of the water. —
一个长长的涌浪，几乎没有被船只感觉到，因为它装载沉重，规则地卷过水面。 —

They pulled out about half a mile distant from the shore, that they might have a good view of Mount Franklin.
他们拉开大约半英里远离岸边，这样他们就可以清晰地看到富兰克林山。

Pencroft afterwards returned towards the mouth of the river. —
潘克洛夫之后返回到河口。 —

The boat then skirted the shore, which, extending to the extreme point, hid all Tadorn’s Fens.
船只沿着岸边前行，一直延伸到极点，遮住了所有塔朵恩沼泽。

This point, of which the distance was increased by the irregularity of the coast, was nearly three miles from the Mercy. The settlers resolved to go to its extremity, and only go beyond it as much as was necessary to take a rapid survey of the coast as far as Claw Cape.
这个岬角，因为海岸线的不规则性，距离梅尔西河约三英里。定居者们决定去到最远的地方，只有在必要时超出那么多，以快速审视海岸线直到爪爪角。

The canoe followed the windings of the shore, avoiding the rocks which fringed it, and which the rising tide began to cover. —
独木舟顺着海岸的曲线前行，避开了勾勒着它的岩石，而潮水开始覆盖这些岩石。 —

The cliff gradually sloped away from the mouth of the river to the point. —
悬崖从河口处逐渐延伸至那个尖端。 —

This was formed of granite reeks, capriciously distributed, very different from the cliff at Prospect Heights, and of an extremely wild aspect. —
这个尖端由花岗岩峭壁组成，分布错综复杂，与展望高地上的悬崖截然不同，呈现出极为荒凉的景象。 —

It might have been said that an immense cartload of rocks had been emptied out there. —
仿佛有一大车的岩石被倾倒在那里。 —

There was no vegetation on this sharp promontory, which projected two miles from the forest, and it thus represented a giant’s arm stretched out from a leafy sleeve.
这块尖锐的岬角上没有植被，它从森林中退出两英里，犹如一只巨人伸出的手臂从绿叶的衣袖中突出。

The canoe, impelled by the two oars, advanced without difficulty. —
由于两支桨的推动，独木舟前行顺利。 —

Gideon Spilett, pencil in one hand and notebook in the other, sketched the coast in bold strokes. —
以一只手拿着铅笔，另一只手拿着笔记本的吉迪恩·斯派莱特勾勒出海岸的轮廓。 —

Neb, Herbert, and Pencroft chatted, while examining this part of their domain, which was new to them, and, in proportion as the canoe proceeded towards the south, the two Mandible Capes appeared to move, and surround Union Bay more closely.
尼布、赫伯特和潘克罗夫一边聊天一边审视着这个对他们来说是新领地的部分，随着独木舟朝南方前行，两座指南针角似乎在移动着，更加紧密地环绕着联盟湾。

As to Cyrus Harding, he did not speak; he simply gazed, and by the mistrust which his look expressed, it appeared that he was examining some strange country.
至于赛勒斯·哈丁，他一言不发；他只是凝视着，他目光表达的不信任，表明他在仔细观察一片陌生的土地。

In the meantime, after a voyage of three-quarters of an hour, the canoe reached the extremity of the point, and Pencroft was preparing to return, when Herbert, rising, pointed to a black object, saying,–
与此同时，航行了三刻钟后，独木舟抵达了尖端，潘克罗夫准备返回，这时赫伯特站起来指着一处黑色物体说道，

“What do I see down there on the beach?”
“我在沙滩上看到了什么？”

All eyes turned towards the point indicated.
所有人的目光都转向了所指的尖端。

“Why,” said the reporter, “there is something. —
“咦”，记者说，“那里有东西。 —

It looks like part of a wreck half buried in the sand.”
看起来像是半埋在沙子中的一部分残骸。”

“Ah!” cried Pencroft, “I see what it is!”
“啊！”潘克罗夫喊道，“我看清楚了！”

“What?” asked Neb.
“什么？” 尼布问道。

“Barrels, barrels, which perhaps are full,” replied the sailor.
“桶子，桶子，也许里面装满了东西，” 水手回答道。

“Pull to the shore, Pencroft!” said Cyrus.
“朋克洛夫，往岸边划！” 西里斯说道。

A few strokes of the oar brought the canoe into a little creek, and its passengers leaped on shore.
几下划桨，把独木舟划到了一个小溪边，乘客们跳上了岸。

Pencroft was not mistaken. Two barrels were there, half buried in the sand, but still firmly attached to a large chest, which, sustained by them, had floated to the moment when it stranded on the beach.
朋克洛夫没有错。那里有两个桶，半埋在沙子中，但仍然牢固地连接着一个大箱子，由它们支撑着，直到搁浅在沙滩上。

“There has been a wreck, then, in some part of the island,” said Herbert.
“所以这个岛的某个地方发生过船难，” 赫伯特说道。

“Evidently,” replied Spilett.
“显然，” 斯皮莱特回答道。

“But what’s in this chest?” cried Pencroft, with very natural impatience. —
“但这个箱子里是什么？” 朋克洛夫以非常自然的焦急说道。 —

“What’s in this chest? It is shut up, and nothing to open it with! —
“这个箱子里是什么？它锁着，没有东西可以打开它！ —

Well, perhaps a stone–”
嗯，也许一个石头–”

And the sailor, raising a heavy block, was about to break in one of the sides of the chest, when the engineer arrested his hand.
说着，水手举起了一个重重的石头，准备打破箱子的一侧，工程师阻止了他的手。

“Pencroft,” said he, “can you restrain your impatience for one hour only?”
“朋克洛夫，” 他说， “你能忍耐一个小时吗？”

But, captain, just think! Perhaps there is everything we want in there!”
“但是，船长，你想想！也许里面有我们需要的一切！”

“We shall find that out, Pencroft,” replied the engineer; —
“我们会弄清楚的，朋克洛夫，” 工程师回答道； —

“but trust to me, and do not break the chest, which may be useful to us. —
“但相信我，不要打开箱子，它对我们可能有用。” —

We must convey it to Granite House, where we can open it easily, and without breaking it. —
我们必须把它传送到花岗岩屋，这样我们就可以轻松地打开它，而不会弄坏它。 —

It is quite prepared for a voyage; and since it has floated here, it may just as well float to the mouth of the river.”
它已经准备好出发了；既然它能漂到这里来，那么也可以漂到河口。”

“You are right, captain, and I was wrong, as usual,” replied the sailor.
“你是对的，船长，我像往常一样错了，”水手回答说。

The engineer’s advice was good. In fact, the canoe probably would not have been able to contain the articles possibly enclosed in the chest, which doubtless was heavy, since two empty barrels were required to buoy it up. —
工程师的建议很好。事实上，独木舟可能无法容纳箱子里可能装载的物品，毕竟箱子很重，需要两个空桶来使它漂浮。 —

It was, therefore, much better to tow it to the beach at Granite House.
因此更好的办法是把它拖到花岗岩屋的沙滩上。

And now, whence had this chest come? That was the important question. —
现在，这个箱子是从哪里来的？这才是重要的问题。 —

Cyrus Harding and his companions looked attentively around them, and examined the shore for several hundred steps. —
塞勒斯·哈丁和他的同伴们仔细地四处看了看，并在几百步之内检查了岸边。 —

No other articles or pieces of wreck could be found. —
找不到其他物品或残骸。 —

Herbert and Neb climbed a high rock to survey the sea, but there was nothing in sight–neither a dismasted vessel nor a ship under sail.
赫伯特和内布爬上一块高岩去眺望大海，但见不到任何东西——既没有被毁坏的船只，也没有正在航行的船只。

However, there was no doubt that there had been a wreck. —
然而，毫无疑问，发生了一起海难。 —

Perhaps this incident was connected with that of the bullet? —
也许这一事件与那颗子弹有关？ —

Perhaps strangers had landed on another part of the island? Perhaps they were still there? —
也许陌生人已经登陆了岛的另一部分？也许他们仍然在那里？ —

But the thought which came naturally to the settlers was, that these strangers could not be Malay pirates, for the chest was evidently of American or European make.
但定居者们自然而然地想到，这些陌生人不可能是马来海盗，因为这个箱子明显是美国或欧洲制造的。

All the party returned to the chest, which was of an unusually large size. —
全体成员回到了这个格外大的箱子旁。 —

It was made of oak wood, very carefully closed and covered with a thick hide, which was secured by copper nails. —
它是由橡木制成的，封得很仔细，覆盖着厚厚的兽皮，用铜钉固定着。 —

The two great barrels, hermetically sealed, but which sounded hollow and empty, were fastened to its sides by strong ropes, knotted with a skill which Pencroft directly pronounced sailors alone could exhibit. —
两个被密封密封的大桶，声音空洞并且空空如也，被用绳索牢固地绑在船的两侧，彭克罗夫直接判断只有水手们才能展示出来的技巧。 —

It appeared to be in a perfect state of preservation, which was explained by the fact that it had stranded on a sandy beach, and not among rocks. —
它看起来保持得完好无损，这可以解释为它搁浅在沙滩上，而不是在岩石中间。 —

They had no doubt whatever, on examining it carefully, that it had not been long in the water, and that its arrival on this coast was recent. —
仔细检查后他们毫无疑问可以肯定，它没有在水里待很久，到达这个海岸的时间很近。 —

The water did not appear to have penetrated to the inside, and the articles which it contained were no doubt uninjured.
看起来水没有渗透到里面，里面的物品无疑是完好的。

It was evident that this chest had been thrown overboard from some dismasted vessel driven towards the island, and that, in the hope that it would reach the land, where they might afterwards find it, the passengers had taken the precaution to buoy it up by means of this floating apparatus.
显然，这个箱子是从一艘被风浪冲向岛屿的船上扔下来的，以希望它能漂向岸边，之后他们可以找到它，乘客们已经通过这个漂浮装置进行了保护。

“We will tow this chest to Granite House,” said the engineer, “where we can make an inventory of its contents; —
“我们会把这个箱子拖到花岗岩屋，”工程师说，“在那里我们可以清点里面的物品； —

then, if we discover any of the survivors from the supposed wreck, we can return it to those to whom it belongs. —
然后，如果我们发现失事船只的幸存者，我们可以把箱子归还给他们。 —

If we find no one–”
如果我们找不到任何人–”

“We will keep it for ourselves!” cried Pencroft. “But what in the world can there be in it?”
“我们就自己留着了！”彭克罗夫大声喊道。“但这个箱子里到底有什么呢？”

The sea was already approaching the chest, and the high tide would evidently float it. —
海水已经接近箱子，高潮显然会让它漂起。 —

One of the ropes which fastened the barrels was partly unlashed and used as a cable to unite the floating apparatus with the canoe. —
部分拴住桶的绳子被解开，被用作绳索把漂浮装置与独木舟连接在一起。 —

Pencroft and Neb then dug away the sand with their oars, so as to facilitate the moving of the chest, towing which the boat soon began to double the point, to which the name of Flotsam Point was given.
彭克罗夫和尼布用浆划开了沙子，以便于移动箱子，而拖着这个箱子的船很快开始绕过被命名为漂物岬的点。

The chest was heavy, and the barrels were scarcely sufficient to keep it above water. —
箱子很重，桶几乎无法让它浮起来。 —

The sailor also feared every instant that it would get loose and sink to the bottom of the sea. —
水手还担心它随时会松开并沉入海底。 —

But happily his fears were not realized, and an hour and a half after they set out–all that time had been taken up in going a distance of three miles–the boat touched the beach below Granite House.
但幸运的是他的担心没有实现，一个半小时之后他们出发–花了那么长时间走过三英里的距离–船靠在了花岗岩屋下面的海滩上。

Canoe and chest were then hauled up on the sands; —
然后，独木舟和箱子被拖上了沙滩； —

and as the tide was then going out, they were soon left high and dry. —
由于潮水已经开始退了，它们很快就被留在了高高的沙滩上。 —

Neb, hurrying home, brought back some tools with which to open the chest in such a way that it might be injured as little as possible, and they proceeded to its inventory. —
尼布匆匆赶回家，带回了一些工具，以尽可能少地损坏箱子地方式来打开它，并且他们开始了清点箱子里的物品。 —

Pencroft did not try to hide that he was greatly excited.
彭克罗夫毫不掩饰他的兴奋之情。

The sailor began by detaching the two barrels, which, being in good condition, would of course be of use. —
水手首先取下了两个桶，因为它们的状态很好，肯定会很有用。 —

Then the locks were forced with a cold chisel and hammer, and the lid thrown back. —
然后用凿子和锤子打开了锁，掀开了箱子的盖子。 —

A second casing of zinc lined the interior of the chest, which had been evidently arranged that the articles which it enclosed might under any circumstances be sheltered from damp.
箱子内部有一个第二层锌衬里，显然是为了保护里面的物品不受潮湿影响而特意布置的。

“Oh!” cried Neb, “suppose it’s jam!
“哦！”尼布叫道，“难道里面是果酱吗？

“I hope not,” replied the reporter.
“希望不是吧。”记者回答道。

“If only there was–” said the sailor in a low voice.
“如果里面有–”水手低声说道。

“What?” asked Neb, who overheard him.
“什么？”尼布听见了他的话。

“Nothing!”
“没什么！”

The covering of zinc was torn off and thrown back over the sides of the chest, and by degrees numerous articles of very varied character were produced and strewn about on the sand. —
锌层被撕掉，扔在箱子的边上，渐渐地出现了许多种类繁多的物品，散落在沙滩上。 —

At each new object Pencroft uttered fresh hurrahs, Herbert clapped his hands, and Neb danced up and down. —
每个新物品出现时，彭克罗夫都发出新的欢呼，赫伯特拍手，尼布上下蹦跳着。 —

There were books which made Herbert wild with joy, and cooking utensils which Neb covered with kisses!
有让赫伯特欣喜若狂的书籍，有尼布用吻覆盖的烹饪器具！

In short, the colonists had reason to be extremely satisfied, for this chest contained tools, weapons, instruments, clothes, books; —
总之，殖民者们有足够理由感到非常满意，因为这个箱子里装满了工具、武器、仪器、衣服、书籍； —

and this is the exact list of them as stated in Gideon Spilett’s note-book:
这正是吉迪恩·斯皮莱特笔记本中所列出的清单：

–Tools:–3 knives with several blades, 2 woodmen’s axes, 2 carpenter’s hatchets, 3 planes, 2 adzes, 1 twibil or mattock, 6 chisels, 2 files, 3 hammers, 3 gimlets, 2 augers, 10 bags of nails and screws, 3 saws of different sizes, 2 boxes of needles.
–工具：–3把带多个刀片的刀，2把伐木斧，2把木工斧，3个刨子，2把凿子，1个镐或大锄，6把凿子，2把锉刀，3把锤子，3把螺丝扣钻，2个中空钻头，10袋钉子和螺丝，3把不同尺寸的锯，2盒针。

Weapons:–2 flint-lock guns, 2 for percussion caps, 2 breach-loader carbines, 5 boarding cutlasses, 4 sabers, 2 barrels of powder, each containing twenty-five pounds; —
武器：–2支燧石枪，2支霰弹枪，2支后装式卡宾枪，5把登船刀，4把军刀，2筒装火药，每筒含二十五磅； —

12 boxes of percussion caps.
12盒霰弹。

Instruments:–1 sextant, 1 double opera-glass, 1 telescope, 1 box of mathematical instruments, 1 mariner’s compass, 1 Fahrenheit thermometer, 1 aneroid barometer, 1 box containing a photographic apparatus, object-glass, plates, chemicals, etc.
仪器：–1只六分仪，1只双筒望远镜，1只望远镜，1盒数学仪器，1只水手罗盘，1只华氏温度计，1只无液压计，1盒包含摄影设备、物镜、感光板、化学品等物品。

Clothes:-2 dozen shirts of a peculiar material resembling wool, but evidently of a vegetable origin; —
衣服：-2打某种类似羊毛但显然为植物性原料的特殊材质衬衫； —

3 dozen stockings of the same material.
3打同样材质的长筒袜。

Utensils:-1 iron pot, 6 copper saucepans, 3 iron dishes, 10 metal plates, 2 kettles, 1 portable stove, 6 table-knives,
餐具：1口铁锅，6口铜锅，3口铁盘，10只金属盘，2只水壶，1只便携炉灶，6把餐刀，

Books:-1 Bible, 1 atlas, 1 dictionary of the different Polynesian idioms, 1 dictionary of natural science, in six volumes; —
书籍：1本圣经，1本地图集，1本包含不同波利尼西亚方言的字典，1本自然科学辞典，共分为六卷； —

3 reams of white paper, 2 books with blank pages.
3打白纸，2本空白页书籍。

“It must be allowed,” said the reporter, after the inventory had been made, “that the owner of this chest was a practical man! —
“必须承认，”当清点完库存后，记者说：“这个箱子的主人是一个实用主义者！ —

Tools, weapons, instruments, clothes, utensils, books–nothing is wanting! —
工具、武器、仪器、衣服、餐具、书籍——样样俱全！ —

It might really be said that he expected to be wrecked, and had prepared for it beforehand.”
可以真的说，他似乎预料到会遇险，并事先做好了准备。”

“Nothing is wanting, indeed,” murmured Cyrus Harding thoughtfully.
“确实是一样不缺，”塞勒斯·哈丁若有所思地轻声说道。

“And for a certainty,” added Herbert, “the vessel which carried this chest and its owner was not a Malay pirate!”
“而且可以肯定的是，携带这个箱子及其主人的船不是马来海盗！”

“Unless,” said Pencroft, “the owner had been taken prisoner by pirates–”
“除非，”潘克罗夫说道，“主人已经被海盗俘虏了–”

“That is not admissible,” replied the reporter. —
“这是不可接受的，”记者回答道。 —

“It is more probable that an American or European vessel has been driven into this quarter, and that her passengers, wishing to save necessaries at least, prepared this chest and threw it overboard.”
“更有可能是一艘美国或欧洲的船被迫漂到这里，船上的乘客希望至少能保存必需品，准备了这个箱子并将其扔入海中。”

“Is that your opinion, captain?” asked Herbert.
“你认为呢，船长？”赫伯特问道。

“Yes, my boy,” replied the engineer, “that may have been the case. —
“是的，孩子，”工程师回答道，“那可能就是情况。 —

It is possible that at the moment, or in expectation of a wreck, they collected into this chest different articles of the greatest use in hopes of finding it again on the coast–”
有可能当时，或是为了应对一场失事，他们将各种最有用的物品收集到这个箱子里，希望能在海岸上找到它—”

“Even the photographic box!” exclaimed the sailor incredulously.
“连那个摄影盒子！？”水手难以置信地道。

“As to that apparatus,” replied Harding, “I do not quite see the use of it; —
“至于那设备，”哈丁回答道，“我还真没看出它的用途； —

and a more complete supply of clothes or more abundant ammunition would have been more valuable to us as well as to any other castaways!”
相比之下，更丰富的衣服或更多的弹药对我们以及其他的遇难者来说会更有价值！”

“But isn’t there any mark or direction on these instruments, tools, or books, which would tell us something about them?” —
“但这些器具、工具或书籍上没有任何标记或指示，能告诉我们一些有关它们的信息吗？”吉迪恩·斯皮莱特问道。 —

asked Gideon Spilett.
“这个可以确定。每件物品都被仔细检查，尤其是书籍、器具和武器。”

That might be ascertained. Each article was carefully examined, especially the books, instruments and weapons. —
“与通常的惯例相反，武器和器具上没有制造商的名称； —

Neither the weapons nor the instruments, contrary to the usual custom, bore the name of the maker; —
它们此外还完好无损，并且看上去没有被使用过。” —

they were, besides, in a perfect state, and did not appear to have been used. —
“他们可能被遗弃了。” —

The same peculiarity marked the tools and utensils; —
工具和器皿也标记了相同的特点； —

all were new, which proved that the articles had not been taken by chance and thrown into the chest, but, on the contrary, that the choice of things had been well considered and arranged with care. —
全都是新的，这证明这些物品不是偶然被拿走扔进箱子里的，相反，这些物品的选择是经过深思熟虑和谨慎安排的。 —

This was also indicated by the second case of metal which had preserved them from damp, and which could not have been soldered in a moment of haste.
这也可以从第二层能防潮湿的金属盒看出，这些物品不可能匆忙间焊接在一起。

As to the dictionaries of natural science and Polynesian idioms, both were English; —
至于自然科学和波利尼西亚语词典，都是英文的； —

but they neither bore the name of the publisher nor the date of publication.
但它们上面都没有出版商的名字和出版日期。

The same with the Bible printed in English, in quarto, remarkable from a typographic point of view, and which appeared to have been often used.
这本印有英文的四开圣经，从印刷方面来看可谓出色，似乎经常被使用。

The atlas was a magnificent work, comprising maps of every country in the world, and several planispheres arranged upon Mercator’s projection, and of which the nomenclature was in French–but which also bore neither date nor name of publisher.
这本地图册是一部宏伟的作品，包括了世界各国的地图，以及几个墨卡托投影的平面图，其地名是法文的，但同样没有日期和出版商的名字。

There was nothing, therefore, on these different articles by which they could be traced, and nothing consequently of a nature to show the nationality of the vessel which must have recently passed these shores.
所以，在这些不同的物品上没有任何可以追踪的东西，因此也没有什么能显示出这艘船的国籍，这艘船必然是最近经过这些海岸的。

But, wherever the chest might have come from, it was a treasure to the settlers on Lincoln Island. —
但无论这个箱子可能来自何方，对林肯岛的定居者来说都是一个宝藏。 —

Till then, by making use of the productions of nature, they had created everything for themselves, and, thanks to their intelligence, they had managed without difficulty. —
到那时，他们完全靠亚马逊的自然产物自力更生，并且凭借着他们的智慧，他们没有遇到困难。 —

But did it not appear as if Providence had wished to reward them by sending them these productions of human industry? —
但是难道这不是上苍希望通过送给他们这些人类工业的产物来奖赏他们吗？ —

Their thanks rose unanimously to Heaven.
他们一致向天道谢。

However, one of them was not quite satisfied: it was Pencroft. —
然而，其中一个人并不完全满足：潘克洛夫。 —

It appeared that the chest did not contain something which he evidently held in great esteem, for in proportion as they approached the bottom of the box, his hurrahs diminished in heartiness, and, the inventory finished, he was heard to mutter these words: —
他似乎对箱子里没有一样他非常看重的东西感到不满，因为随着他们接近箱子的底部，他的欢呼声逐渐减弱，清点结束后，他发出这样的抱怨： —

–“That’s all very fine, but you can see that there is nothing for me in that box!”
–“这一切都很好，但你可以看到在那个箱子里没有什么属于我的！”

This led Neb to say,–
这导致奈布说，

“Why, friend Pencroft, what more do you expect?”
“为什么，朋友潘克罗夫，你还希望得到什么？”

“Half a pound of tobacco,” replied Pencroft seriously, “and nothing would have been wanting to complete my happiness!”
潘克罗夫认真地回答说，“再来半磅烟草，这样我的幸福就能完美无缺了！”

No one could help laughing at this speech of the sailor’s.
在水手的发言下，大家都忍不住笑了。

But the result of this discovery of the chest was, that it was now more than ever necessary to explore the island thoroughly. —
但是这个发现箱子的结果是，现在更加有必要彻底地探索这个岛屿了。 —

It was therefore agreed that the next morning at break of day, they should set out, by ascending the Mercy so as to reach the western shore. —
因此，他们一致同意，第二天天亮时，他们将出发，沿着梅西河上溯，以便到达西岸。 —

If any castaways had landed on the coast, it was to be feared they were without resources, and it was therefore the more necessary to carry help to them without delay.
如果有人在海岸上遇险了，他们很可能会没有资源，因此更有必要及时向他们伸出援手。

During the day the different articles were carried to Granite House, where they were methodically arranged in the great hall. —
白天里，各种物品被搬到了花岗岩屋里，然后在大厅里有条不紊地整理起来。 —

This day–the 29th of October–happened to be a Sunday, and, before going to bed, Herbert asked the engineer if he would not read them something from the Gospel.
这一天——10月29日——碰巧是星期日，在睡觉前，赫伯特问工程师是否愿意从《福音书》里给他们读点东西。

“Willingly,” replied Cyrus Harding.
“很乐意，”赛勒斯·哈定回答。

He took the sacred volume, and was about to open it, when Pencroft stopped him, saying,–“Captain, I am superstitious. —
他拿起圣经，准备打开的时候，潘克罗夫拦住他说，“队长，我有些迷信。 —

Open at random and read the first verse which, your eye falls upon. —
随机打开一页，读第一个落在的经文。 —

We will see if it applies to our situation.”
看看是否适用于我们的情况。”

Cyrus Harding smiled at the sailor’s idea, and, yielding to his wish, he opened exactly at a place where the leaves were separated by a marker.
赛勒斯·哈定笑了笑水手的想法，顺着他的愿望，他正好打开了一页，那里用一支铅笔画了一个十字，标在马太福音第七章的第八节上。

Immediately his eyes were attracted by a cross which, made with a pencil, was placed against the eighth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew. —
他的眼睛立刻被吸引到那个地方，那里的句子是：“因为求的就必得着，寻找的就必寻见， 叩的就必给他开。” —

He read the verse, which was this:–
他读了这句经文，内容是这样的:–

“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth.”
“因为凡求的就得着，寻找的就寻见。”